1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of farm equipment, and particularly, is directed to a novel second hitch for use with a tractor to enable an operator to pull two rakes in a manner to simultaneously rake two independent windrows of hay.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is the usual practice to rake fresh mowed hay into individual, longitudinally extending, laterally spaced windrows wherein the hay will remain for an extended length of time as necessary for initial drying. After such initial drying, the individual windrows are mechanically raked, usually by employing tractor pulled hayrakes. In some instances, the individual windrows are mechanically raked after drying and can be bailed by utilizing presently available equipment. In other operations, laterally spaced individual windrows are mechanically raked on the ground laterally toward each other and then combined into a composite, longitudinally extending, double-sized, central windrow. The individual or paired windrows can then be loaded by a hay loader or picked up with a sweep rake or a pick-up bailing press, a combine or the like for further treatment.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,766 to Ender, et al, there is disclosed a machine for combining hay windrows wherein a low level frame is provided to move a pair of laterally spaced conveyors as the frame is pulled in a field between pairs of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced windrows. The conveyors are operative to sweep the spaced windrows upwardly upon the conveyor and then to move the material rearwardly to converge at the respective conveyor rear ends. This results in the formation of longitudinally extending, double-sized, central windrows.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,511,841 to Gaterman, there is disclosed an intermittingly operable windrow placing mechanism which functions as an auxiliary to any conventional windrowing device or attachment whereby paired windrows can be readily produced.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,606,417, Richey discloses a reversible farm implement that is particularly adaptable for coupling to a tractor. A generally U-shaped main bar is constructed of suitable size and configuration to extend either forwardly or rearwardly of the tractor. The main frame is equipped with suitable hydraulic system elements which can be controlled by the driver to function the apparatus.
While the above described devices can be utilized in connection with hay windrows, and some of the devices can be employed to form longitudinally extending, double-sized windrows, none of the prior art devices, so far as is known to the present applicant, is capable of employing a pair of existing hayrakes simultaneously and in combination wherein the existing equipment can be utilized in connection with a single tractor a much more efficient and cost effective manner.